This invention relates to vehicle steering column mounted control stalks, and, more particularly, to a motion translating assembly enabling selective independent actuation of a pair of multiple contact switches mounted on the steering column from swingable movement of the control stalk in a pair of mutually orthogonally related intersecting planes.
The form of the control stalk illustrated herein forms the subject matter of U.S. Ser. No. 925,080, filed of even date and of common ownership herewith. The control stalk is especially suited for use in an automotive vehicle speed control and windshield wiper motor and washer pump motor control application that is accomplished from a pair of juxtaposed slidable actuator buttons and a rotary and push-type control knob carried on a handle surrounding the steering column-mounted control lever.
The control lever is mounted for singable movement in a first plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the steering column for a turn signal actuator application and in another intersecting plane, which is mutually orthogonally related to the first plane and contains or is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the steering column for headlamp beam selection and/or light modulated signalling application. The separate movements of the control lever are translated through a motion translating assembly for separate and selective actuation of the turn signal switch and beam selection switch, each to the exclusion of the other.
In addition to the known prior art patents on control stalks referenced in the above application, the following patents illustrate multiple switch control applications accomplished from a steering column mounted control lever: U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,221,119; 3,254,168; 3,331,932; 3,334,201; 3,374,321; 3,459,913; 3,476,896; 3,881,076; and 4,006,328.
The present invention seeks to provide a control stalk activated motion translating assembly which enables selective actuation of a column mounted turn signal switch and beam selection switch and is coupled thereto in such a manner as to permit use of conventional switches without modification thereof.
The above and other objects, advantages and features of the invention will appear more fully from consideration of the following detailed description made with reference to the accompanying drawings.